Cato Crews’ ruling referred to the athlete as a “allegedly transgender” player and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose’s roster includes a transgender player.
A judge Monday rejected a request to bar a player on the San Jose women’s volleyball team from participating in a conference tournament on the grounds that she is transgender.
The decision by US Magistrate Judge Shane Kato Crews in Denver, Colorado, allows the athlete, who played the entire season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship, which begins this week in Las Vegas.
The decision comes as part of a lawsuit filed by nine athletes against the Mountain West Conference, challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the players argued that letting her compete would be unfair and a safety risk.
Although some media outlets have reported these and other details, neither San Jose State University nor the teams that withdrew from the tournament have confirmed that the institution has a trans volleyball player.
The AP is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity, and university officials also declined a request for an interview with the athlete.
Cato Crews’ ruling referred to the athlete as a “allegedly transgender” player and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose’s roster included a transgender player.
San José State University assured, in a statement, that it “will continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms”, confirming that all of its student-athletes are eligible to participate in the tournament, according to with current rules.
The player competed at the collegiate level the previous three seasons, attracting little attention.
The knowledge this season of his supposed identity created an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in an important election year.
